Image Donated by Corbis-Bettmann

Irving Berlin 1888-1989

Composer and lyricist Irving Berlin was born in Russia and grew up on the Lower East Side of New York. The Tin Pan Alley hit "Alexander's Ragtime Band" launched his career in 1911 and remained on the charts for five decades. Berlin wrote over 900 other songs, including "God Bless America," "There's No Business Like Show Business," "Easter Parade," and "White Christmas," one of the most-recorded songs in history. Berlin composed seventeen film scores and 21 Broadway scores, including Annie Get Your Gun (1946). His songwriting had an enduring effect on music and culture worldwide.